Montreal's Brother Andre canonized
By Jules Richer, QMI Agency
Last Updated: October 17, 2010 12:37pm
The Roman Catholic Church canonized Brother Andre on Sunday in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City, the first Canadian to be named a saint in 20 years.
In his homily, Pope Benedict highlighted the straightforward faith of the man who will now be known as Saint Andre Bessette.
"He showed boundless charity and tried to relieve the suffering of those who came to confide in him," the pontiff said.
"He had very little education, yet he understood the essence of faith."
The pope also quoted Brother Andre, who used to tell pilgrims who sought him out that they shouldn't ask for an end to their suffering, but instead the grace to bear their pain.
Five others were also canonized during the ceremony, which was resplendent with bishops and cardinals in rich red and purple regalia.
A slight man of modest tastes, Brother Andre was born Alfred Bessette on August 9, 1845, in Saint-Gregoire d'Iberville, Que., south of Montreal. His parents both died before his 13th birthday and he was raised by an aunt.
He lived for a while in the U.S., later moving to Montreal where he worked as a custodian at a private school on Mount Royal. There, Brother Andre often prayed toward the summit across the street, dreaming of one day erecting a shrine to St. Joseph.
He eventually founded St. Joseph's Oratory, which began as a tiny chapel. In a small office, he greeted lines of people who came to him with various ailments. Brother Andre soon became known as a miracle worker, credited with powers of healing.
Over time, he gathered enough donations to grow the small chapel into what became the largest church in Canada.
When he died in 1937, a million followers came to pay him homage. Two million people still visit the Oratory each year.
On Sunday, 1,500 Quebec pilgrims descended on Rome to attend the canonization.
Montreal Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte was among them. He said he has known for years the simple cleric was truly a saint.
"Brother Andre embodies what our ancestors were," he said. "They were humble people, and poor, but very hardworking and deeply religious."
In Montreal, the Oratory's crypt was crammed with more than 1,500 believers, watching the broadcast of the rite of canonization, which began before dawn.
Father Charles Corso said despite the hour, the atmosphere was jubilant, with the crowd of believers applauding at each time Brother Andre's name was mentioned.
"It was ecstatic," he said. "When they pronounced the text of his canonization, people were standing up and cheering."
He said Quebecers see the humble holy man a folk hero.